“i am the son and heir / of nothing in particular….”

ALSO: Words of wisdom from agent Janet Reid regarding the (mis)use of modern society’s most diabolical device. I’ve never understood why writers have this irresistible urge to call up people in the publishing business, especially given that they’re all hoping to become known for their writing skills. Impatience, perhaps? Laziness, more likely. Of course, my perspective is a bit skewed since I’m hearing impaired; I have to be prodded with hot coals to pick up a telephone. The only reason I even own a cell phone (something I resisted for years) is because my girlfriend and my mother got tired of not being able to reach me. We have a land line at home that I never answer, and I vastly prefer email for contacting people, so the idea of calling up an agent who isn’t even representing you yet is a concept I find mystifying indeed.

Since we’re on the subject of missives from Janet Reid’s blog, here’s some more wisdom regarding things to avoid doing. “Less is more” is excellent advice not just for writing books, but writing correspondence as well.

Before I retire for the evening, I’d just like to say that the snare in “How Soon Is Now?” is one of the greatest things ever recorded in the history of western music.